DESIGN CRITERIA FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPTIMIZATION

ADVANCED AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT WILL REQUIRE EXTENSIONS OF PRESENT ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE. MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPTIMIZATION, IN PARTICULAR, WILL BE REQUIRED SO THAT SOME OF THE DESIGN PROCESS CAN BE AUTOMATED IN A WAY THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT FACTORS SUCH AS MATERIAL PROPERTIES, LOADS, FATIGUE AND FRACTURE, IMPACT DAMAGE, AEROELASTICITY, AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. EACH OF THESE AREAS REQUIRES DESIGN CRITERIA TO INSURE PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. THE CRITERIA MAY BE IMPLEMENTED BY FORMULAS, DESIGN CHARTS, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, ETC. THE CHALLENGE IS TO ADAPT THESE CRITERIA IN A MANNER THAT MAKES THEM SUITABLE FOR AN OPTIMIZATION CODE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO DEAL WITH THESE CRITERIA, DEPENDING ON THEIR NATURE: THEY COULD BE FULLY INTEGRATED WITH THE STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION OR TREATED IN A SUBSIDIARY OPERATION. PHASE I IS INTENDED TO EXPLORE DESIGN CRITERIA FOR VARIOUS DISCIPLINES AND TO PROPOSE METHODS FOR ADAPTING THEM FOR OPTIMIZATION. PHASE II WILL ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT UP TO THREE OF THESE CRITERIA. ???????????